Estate Guava Spiced Hot Mulled Wine with Natural Citrus Rim Sugar

Kick up this cozy, festive drink with a float of Grand Marnier and Citrus Rim Sugar. Freshly harvested estate guavas are the secret ingredient to make this your original recipe.

Recipe by: Gabrielle

SERVES: 8

Wine Pairing: Gabrielle Collection Vertex Cuvée Red Wine Blend 620, California

REP TIME: 15 minutes ,COOKING TIME: 40 minutes, TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups apple cider, unfiltered
2 cups distilled or filtered water
2 Tbsp. tangerine zest (juice tangerines prior zesting)
2 Tbsp. orange zest, then cut half of orange into wedges
2 Tbsp. Meyer or regular lemon zest
1 pouch 5.5 oz. GC Napa Valley Natural Wine Country Mulling Spices
¾ cup GC Napa Valley Natural Guava Sugar
¾ cup tangerine juice, freshly squeezed or bottled
2 bottles 750 ml. Gabrielle Collection Vertex Cuvée Red Wine Blend 620, California
1 pouch 7 oz. GC Napa Valley Natural Citrus Rim Sugar
8 Tbsp. Grand Marnier (orange-scented cognac liquor), divided

TO PREPARE

Heat apple cider, water, three citrus zests, and Mulling Spices in a stainless steel pot (not aluminum). Simmer 45 minutes on low heat to extract flavors.
Increase heat to medium-high. Add Guava Sugar and stir to dissolve sugar, approximately 5 minutes.
Lower heat to medium. Add tangerine juice and Vertex Cuvée Red Wine Blend 620. Bring to a gentle simmer, not a boil, for 10 minutes to flavor the wine.
Strain Spiced Mulled Wine into a heat-proof pitcher.
Prepare serving glasses: Mound Citrus Rim Sugar on a flat plate or in a bowl that is a larger diameter than the serving glasses. Moisten the rim of each glass with an orange wedge then dip firmly into the sugar once or twice. Set aside.

TO SERVE

Using a funnel, carefully pour the Hot Spiced Mulled Wine into the center of 8 decorative holiday glasses or plain white mugs. Avoid hitting the sugared rim with wine. Drizzle a float of 1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier over the Mulled Wine in each glass/mug.